Rol partition



Sept. 16, 1952 SCHAAP 2,610,681

ROLL PARTITION Filed Oct. 12, 19 0 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Va 5 Tneoook: SCHAAP ATTORNEYS \nvem'oz P 1952 r. SCHAAP 2,610,681

ROLL PARTITION Filed Oct. 12, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 IN gfligg Tueoopae SCHAAP Wax Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE?if;

I ROLLPARTITION j'iuecd 'refschaaplMu kesom M h Application October- 12, 1950, sensmtirsam 1 v v The present invention relates to a roll partition which may be entirelydisguised' and out of sight when not in use, and by means of which an lute-.- rior space may be divided into separated spaces orrooms by drawing the partition out to its oper-' ative position. The retractable and extensible partition may be used in many ways, either one or a plurality of such partitions being usable, to divide a room space into one or more enclosed spaces where it is desirable thatsuch setting off of space as a separate room from the larger space of the usual room is wanted.

With myinvention a very'practical', useful 'and serviceable roll partition structure is provided which, when not in use, is retracted to anen closing chamber or closet therefor, from which it may be quickly withdrawn to divide one part of'a space from another,-or to be placed. across a relatively large entrance between rooms'or spaces in a single room connected by said entrance. Furthermore, it is an obj ect'and purpose of 'my invention to provide a"novel, very practical,

useful partition which may be rolled into small compass when not in use, readily extended, which may be insulated against noise transmission from one part of the space out off from another part, which is economical to manufacture and presents anattractive and desirable'appearance.

An understanding of the invention may be had from'the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a horizontal section substantially 'on the planeof line l- -l of Fig. 2. I I I Fig; 2 is a vertical section and elevation showing the partition in use, the plane of the section being substantially the line 2-2 of Fig. l and looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged horizontal section through the extended partition, substantially-entire, plane of line3. 3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section on the plane of. lined- 4 of Fig. 5, showing the alternate secuonsor "panels of the partition ang ularly disposed with respect to each other. I I I Fig. 51s a vertical section through the partition and one of the; suspending: carriages therefor, and the trackv for the carriage, substantially on the, plane of line 5--5 of Fig. 6'. V

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the'partition without the outer covering thereon.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section through a modified form of structure, substantially on the plane of line of Fig. 9.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section substantially on the'plane of'line 8'-8 of Fig. 9 with'the'seotions or alternate panels of the partition angular-lydisposed with respectto each other, and

I Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section through.

the upper part of the partition and its movable: carriage, substantially on the plane of line Q-J of Fig. 7 I

Like reference characters refer to likepartsg m the different figures of the drawings. The. extendable and retractable partition of invention may be used to extend between oppo site vertical walls I and 2 of a room which has: a. ceiling 3. In the installation or such partition horizontal spaced guides 4 underneath the ceiling and vertical guides 4 extending inwardly from'the walls I and 2 maybe used leaving a largeopeming surrounded thereby. An enclosed chamber or closet 5 is provided for receiving the partition when it isv not in use. A horizontal track '6 is; located between the upper spaced guides 4, suspended from 'above,'and continued into the chamber or closet 5 where it is in a spiral form as indicated at 1.. Such track 6, inone form'thereof shown in Fig. 5, is an inverted channel having lower terminal'flanges 8 extending toward each other but spaced apart leaving a continuous slot. between the adjacent edges of the flanges 8.

A plurality of spaced rollercarriages 9 ride upon the flanges 8 within the track 6, from the axleof each of which a plate ill extends down-- wardly below the track on which a threaded shank- H.1with a head at its upper end, is swiveily mounted, turnable about a vertical axis. The lower threaded shankpasses through a nut l2,- one of which isat each end of each oi? the. metal sections or panels of the partition.

In thepanel structure a body I3- of thin metal, which preferably may be aluminum, is used which at each of its upper and lower edges iaz formed with a flange l4 bent at right angles to the plane of the panel I 3. located generally in alignment with the flanges" 14- thereof extending toward each other-and overlapping at adjacent ends, the substantially verti'calflat sections I3 01' the panel being alternately" spaced in parallel vertical planes. The overlap! ping end portions of the flanges I4 at the;1o werend of the partitionsare pivotally'connected to}- gether by pivots 15. The end portions of. the

flanges H overlapping each other at the upper:

be used for adjustment in raising and lowering the partition with relation to the floor below, as

Such panels are is evident. Each of the panels l3 preferably at spaced distances horizontally are reinforced by inwardly pressed vertical beads It.

At the outer sides of the connected panels a covering I! of suitable flexible material is secured, the covering at each side of the partition being cemented or otherwise permanently secured to the outer sides of the alternate panels and bridging the spaces between as shown in Fig. 3. At such spaces where not connected with the panels the covering is extended outwardly as shown, the flexibility of the covering material and such greater horizontal length of each bridging section of the material used in securing to the panels permitting the partition to be moved into the chamber or closet 5 and follow the spiral portion I one series of panels being located opposite the I of the track. When withdrawn from the chamber or closet 5 the assembled panels fill the space between the walls I and 2 substantially between the ceiling and floor. Sound insulation material in flat sections, indicated at l8, may be located between the panels [3 extending the full length of the partition but such sound insulating material is not necessarily used in all installations. It is flexible to bend when necessary in following the spiral track at 1 within the chamber or closet 5.

In Figs. '7, 8 and 9, instead of the alternate sheet metal panels l3, they are replaced by flat, thin tempered press wood panels I9, at the inner side of which, at both upper and lower end portions, elongated channel members of light metal, preferably aluminum, are permanently secured, the ends of the upper and lower flanges oi successive panels overlapping each other. Vertical pivots 21 at the lower ends of the partition, andv the vertical lower end portions of hangers 22 serve as pivotal connections for panels as shown. Such hangers 2iv terminate each at its upper portion in a horizontal pintle upon which a= roller 23 is mounted for rotation, which rides upon a track 24 of channel form, the lower flange ofwhich is shaped to receive the roller, the upper flange being permanently fastened to the overhead support immediately below the room ceiling. The covering members 25 are similar-to the cover members 1 previously described which, in both, will preferably be of a plastic flexible material, and which, opposite each panel [9, will have an outwardly extending generally semicircular projecting portion 26, the full vertical length of the covering.

The insulation previously described may also be used with this form of structure which is equivalent in all respects and retractable and withdrawable in the same manner as that first described. The last described structure is preferred as easier to operate, the carriages supporting the partition traversing the track at both its straight spiral sections without danger of binding. The pivotal connection of the successivepanels described, best shown in Fig. 9, is of a stronger and more durable character. I I

. Ihe structure described has been made and tested and has proven very practical and useful.

It is particularly useful in buildings or halls in which at times the entire room space is wanted for use, and at other times portions of the space areto be set off from other portions thereof. Such rooms or halls generally are those at which large public attendance is common. Especially, in conjunction with churches, rooms are many times to 4 be thrown together and at other times separated, there being large connecting openings between the room spaces which may be covered completely by the novel partition of my invention.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a structure as described, a series of vertical panels adapted to be located in a common vertical plane and spaced from each other at adjacent vertical edges, a second series of vertical panels adapted to be located in a vertical I plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of the first series of panels, also spaced from each other at adjacent vertical edges, the panels of spaces between the panels of the other series of panels, means connected with said panels at the innersides thereof extending toward and overlapping each other, the vertical edge portions of one series of panels overlapping adjacent vertical edge portions of the other series of panels, pivot means connecting said last mentioned means adjacent the overlapping panel portions, whereby the panels are pivotally connected to turn about vertical axes, and a curtain secured onto the outer sides of the panels of each series of panels, covering said panels and the spaces between the adjacent vertical edges of each of the series of panels.

2. In a structure as described, a series of vertical panels of rectangular form of thin material adapted to be located in a common vertical plane, having adjacent vertical edges of the panels spaced from each other a distance less than the width of the panels, a second series of like panels adapted to be located in a vertical plane parallel to but spaced from the vertical plane of the first panels, said panels of the second series of panels being vertically spaced from each other and located opposite the spaces between the adjacent vertical edges of the first series of panels, adjacent vertical edge portions of the panels of the two series overlapping each other, means located horizontally adjacent each of the upper and lower ends of each panel of each series of panels, each of said means having an inwardly extending horizontal flange, the flanges on opposite seriesof panels overlapping each other at adjacent ends, vertical pivots extending through the overlapped flanges, and a flexible curtain secured at the outer sides of the panels of each of the series of panels, and extending across the spaces between vertical edges of adjacent panels of each series.

THEODORE SCHAAP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 3, v1914 

